St. Landry democrat. (Opelousas, La.) 1878-1894, 1887-04-02
prejudice of his fellow man.

! ignorant and uneducated people is
detrimental to its interests and there
| fore not right but wrong. it ia clear
| ly the case that society has not only a
| right to interfere, but is in duty to it's
| members bound to do 80. But we do
not wish it to be understood that we
should do an injustice or commit an in
vasiOn of the rights of others for the
| sake of greater or ulterior good. 1t il
! only this, that the right which may
have existed in favor of any individual
up to that time, ceases to be a right
and at once becomes wrong when it
is no longer beneficial, bnt injurious to
society. Should the liberty of man be
considered fright" when it is allowed
to put our lives in jeopardy, to destroy
our property or to Overturn or endanger
our political institutional The neces
sty of curtailing the natural rights of
man is we'll known in all civilized com
munities. In fact the very laws which
restrict such rights augment the liberty
of the individual whose rights are thus
restricted, because he gains more from
the limitation of other mems freedom
than he suffers by the diminuton of his
own. So we conclude that society in
duty to its members must restrict the
natural liberty of man in order to pro-
mote the public welfare. | do no dis
paragement to the dignity nf human
nature even in its hnmbiest form when
| say that the rights of the civilized
and cultivated man should he greater
than those of the ignorant and unedn-
Gated. The general diffusion of poll
teal knowledge is essential to public
prosperity and to the security of our
liberties. A government whatever its
form is not really free when its theory
and practical operation are not under
stood by the great body of those from
whom its powers are derived. Univer-
sal suffrage is valua BILE only as its exer-
else is directed by an enlightened pub
lie sentiment While these PROPOSE
tons are generally acknowledged as
self-evident truths, it must be con-
fessed that the general knowledge of
our government is too limited to secure
the uninterrupted enjoyment Of good
A large portion of our citizens as
sumo the duties and RESPONSIBILITIES of
freemen without the information re-
quisite to faithful discharge of the
vast responsibilities devolved upon
them by the constitution and laws.
Many of them ambitions of civil hOnors
Ut itIipttitu NV green lti Shfis htttHl
important public trusts with attain
scrihed to enable them to render eff
cient service to the State or to gain for
themselves an honorable distinction.
In the character and acts of many of
pur officials at this time does the truth |
IF this remark find abundant contirma-
ion.
All the talent in existence ia scarcely |
sufficient to govern mankind, what a |
ask would it he for the ignorant. Ex- |
1prencp seems to have shown to most !
If nations that not even an enlightened |
people will do to trust with the election |
IF their offices. and in consequence the |
,fficers of their chief rulers are heredi- |
AIRY and their minor officials are APP |
pointed.
The experience of ages has Taught
II the necessity of intelligence as |
rational safeguard. A dearly bought
md ever to be remembered experience |
sas taught us the effects of universal |
Il it to be supposed that an !
gnorant voting population would use |
my means or adopt any measures by |
which education wnnld become univer- |
al or even general : Is it to be sup |
posed that they would invent or ap-
prove of any system that would adj
,ance the progress of science and |
literature 7
Experience has taught Us the painful
esponse. Our legislative halls would |
70 filled with men totally unqualified
o hold such offices of responsibility.
)ur judiciary would consist of men
Vho know not the meaning OF law
nd oEr executive Offices would be held
%,,o nd ohnr |
" the generous distribution of public
masses of voters.
But these are by no means the only
wills necessarily connected with such
state of affairs. Civilization would
e checked in it's rapid march, and
nee again the dark ages of ignorance
7Ould envelope our now enlightened
eople. The glorious results of scienti-
C investigation would be lost, and 90
ietv would once more relapse into it's
riginal ignorance. Patriotism would
e unknown moral rectitude would be
)rgotten. and the progress of our pro-
ressive sphere retarded. For we'll we
now that the ins"parable companions
ignorance and vice Wonld prove de-
rnctive to the progress of man, while
he destiny OF man is infinite progress
on. Indeed we fully appreciate the
lcf that our world is progressive one, {
nd that knowledge is the end of all
nman ambtion-the full extent of hui ,
AN happiness.
Let us then place the reins of govern ]
ent in the hands of men who will di-
prsify our land with free publ insti- I
'tions of learning and exact oil every G
an, woman and child d certain ,
Mount of education. Let us in this +
stance follow the example of the Ger
an empire and be regarded az one of :
e nations that takes the lead in civil
ti0n. The present experiment of
1iversal suffrage in the United States
IS proven failure, because intelli-
nee, with general diffusion of poll n
cal knowledge which is indispensable t
a republic even more so than else =
here, ia wanting. The grave stones of y